Safety apparatus

ABSTRACT

A safety apparatus adapted to be mounted above the rear support platform of a fire fighting vehicle for retaining fire fighting personnel thereon includes a safety bar mounted upon arm members which are displacable from a first position forwardly of the support platform to a second operative position wherein the bar is horizontally disposed rearwardly of fire fighting personnel standing upon the rear platform.

United States Patent eck [4 1 June 27, 1972 [54] SAFETY APPARATUS 545,242 8/1895 Merritt ..1s2 1 13 [72] Inventor: Jacob C. Beck, welcome, N'C 1,953,298 4/1934 Goodwin [73] Assignee: Safety Devices, Inc., Welcome, N.C. Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado [22] Filed: Jan. 4 1971 Attorney-David Rabin 211 Appl. No.: 103,597 57 ABSTRACT A safety apparatus adapted to be mounted above the rear sup- [52] U.S. Cl ..l82/3, 782/ l 13 port l tf f a fi fi h i vehicle f retaining fi [51 1 "E06c 7/18 fighting personnel thereon includes a safety bar mounted upon [58] Field of Search l82/1 i3, 91, 4, 3 arm members which are displacable from a first position wardly of the support platform to a second operative position [56] References cued wherein the bar is horizontally disposed rearwardly of fire UNITED STATES PATENTS fighting personnel standing upon the rear platform.

2,245,661 6/1941 Fieroh .l 182/1 13 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUNU 1972 FIG.3

FIG.5

INVE NTOR JACOB C. BECK SAFETY APPARATUS BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to safety equipment and more particularly to a personnel safety apparatus used in conjunction with motor-driven fire-fighting vehicles.

The invention is especially adapted to be mounted near the rear of a vehicle adjacent the rear support platform. The safety apparatus can be readily secured to conventional fire vehicles and includes a safety bar which is adapted to be positioned behind fire fighting personnel standing upon the rear plateform to prevent such personnel from falling or being thrown from the vehicle.

Fire fighting vehicles normally are provided with vertically disposed bars, one bar being fixedly secured at each end of the vehicle support platform. The bars are positioned forwardly of the platform such that fire personnel are required to hold onto the bars during movement of the vehicle. Further, since the bars are located at the extreme sides of the vehicle, they are conveniently accessible only to firemen standing at the extreme sides of the platform.

Briefly, the present invention includes a bar displaceable from an inoperative position forwardly of the vehicle platform to an operative position behind the torso of fire fighting personnel standing upon the platform. The safety apparatus permits the freeing of one or both hands for donning fire fighting clothing and/or equipment in route to a fire or accident. Upon arrival at the scene of the fire, the bar may be quickly dis-' placed to the inoperative, out of the way position.

One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of a safety device for fire fighting personnel in route to and from fires.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple and efficient safety apparatus which can be readily mounted upon conventional fire fighting vehicles.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a safety apparatus which can be readily and conveniently displaced from an inoperative location to an operative location.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a schematic, fragmentary view of the rear of a fire fighting vehicle illustrating the safety bar in operative position behind the torso of fire personnel standing upon the vehicle rear platform;

FIG. 2 is a schematic, perspective view of the safety apparatus of the present invention illustrating the safety bar supported in operative position by the opposed bracket assemblies;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of one of the bracket assemblies with the safety bar support member being illustrated in inoperative, full line position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the bar assembly, partly in section, illustrating means for varying the effective lengths of the bar assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. I of the drawing illustrates a conventional motordriven fire fighting vehicle having a rear support platform 12 extending substantially the full width of the vehicle and capable of supporting several fire fighters in side-by-side relation.

The safety apparatus 14, FIG. 2, includes a support bar 16 secured at each end to displaceable arms 18 and 20 supported by bracket assemblies 22 and 24. The support bar 16 and the arms 18 and 20 are capable of being readily displaceable from a releasably secured, inoperative position, as shown in dotted outline form in FIG. 1, to the operative position wherein the bar 16 is located rearwardly of firemen standing upon the platform 12. Each of the bracket assemblies 22 and 24 includes an L-shaped plate 28 adapted to be mounted upon conventional fire fighting vehicles without significant modification thereto. The bracket assemblies are provided with openings 26 for receiving fasteners which secure the assemblies to suitable support structures at each side of a vehicle. Each of the bracket assemblies also includes a threaded fastener 32, having a sleeve 34 and washer 36 mounted thereon, which is threadably received within member 30 fixed to the plate 28.

The ends of arms 18 and 20 attached to the bracket assemblies includes a rounded end portion 38 and an elongated slot 40 receiving the sleeve 34 of fastener 32. The length of slot 40, the width of the arm and the positioning of fastener 32 with respect to the portion 42 of plate 28 cooperate in a manner to releasably lock the bar 16 and arms 18 and 20 in a vertically disposed position. As shown by FIG. 3, the edge 44 of each arm is positioned in close proximity to or in abutting relation with the plate portion 42. A spring biased detent 46 may be mounted at the edge 44 of each arm 18 and 20 for providing a relatively tight fit between the bracket assemblies and the arms when the arms are in the vertical, inoperative position.

An adjustable stop mechanism 48 is mounted upon each plate 28 of the bracket assemblies for varying the vertical height of, the bar 16 in the operative position. Each stop mechanism 48 includes an adjustable stop member 50 threadably received within a plate 52.

In order to compensate for variations in the distance between vehicle side support structures upon which the plates 28 are mounted, the length of the safety bar 16 may be adjustable. The bar 16 includes first and second sections 54 and 56, each having an end portion slidably received within a sleeve member 58. The sleeve member 58 is secured to the bar sections 54 and 56 by a plurality of set screws 60. The outer ends of the bar are attached to the displaceable arms by fasteners 62.

In operation of the safety apparatus, the bar 16 and anus 18, 20 normally are located in the inoperative position as shown in dotted outline form in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 3. In this position the bar cannot pivot downwardly about fastener 32 since the lower portion of arms 18 and 20 extend below the fastener with the edges 44 of the arms engaging the plate portions 42. However, upon lifting of the bar 16 and arms 18, 20 such that the end portions 38 of the arms engage fasteners 32, the arms and bar can be pivoted to the operative, full line position of FIG. 1 wherein the arms rest upon the adjustable stops 48.

Therefore, fire personnel standing upon the vehicle rear platform 12 are surrounded by the arms 18, 20 and the bars 16. In the inoperative position, forwardly of the firemen, the bar 16 may also serve as a handrail.

I claim:

1. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle having a rear platform for supporting fire fighting personnel thereon comprising, a pair of bracket assemblies for mounting upon a vehicle in spaced relation above and forwardly of the support platform, a pair of elongated arms, each arm being pivotally secured adjacent one end portion to a bracket assembly, bar means interconnecting portions of said arms remote to said bracket assemblies, said elongated arms and said bar means being pivotally displaceable between a first releasably secured, generally vertically extending position above and forwardly of the platform and a second position with the arm members and bar means in a generally horizontally disposed position for encompassing fire fighting personnel standing upon the rear platform, and adjustable stop means positioned to engage said arms intermediate said pivoted end portions and said bar means for supporting and selectively adjusting the height of said bar means above the rear platform, said bar means including means for adjusting the length thereof.

2. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in 1, said means for varying the effective length of said safety bar means including first and second sections, each section having one end secured to an arm, and a sleeve portion adjustably coupling the opposite ends of said first and second sections.

3. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as defined in claim 1, said adjustable stop means including threaded members mounted upon each of said bracket assemblies for adjustably locating said arm members and said bar in said second position.

4. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 1, each of said pair of bracket assemblies including a support plate and pivot means for supporting one of said arms thereon for pivotable and slidable displacement.

5. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 4, wherein each of said arm members includes an elongated opening adjacent one end portion for receiving said pivot means therein.

6. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 5, each of said plates being of a generally L- shaped configuration having a first portion for mounting said arm pivot means thereon, and a second portion extending transversely to said first portion in close proximity to said arms.

7. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 6, wherein the arm elongated openings extend longitudinally of said arm members and the diameter of said pivot means substantially corresponds to the width of the elongated openings for permitting pivotable and longitudinal displacement of said arm members relative to said pivot means.

8. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire vehicle as recited in claim 1, said bracket assemblies including L-shaped members, and pivot means for supporting said arm members thereon, said arm members having longitudinally extending openings therein for slidable and pivotable displacement upon said pivot means.

9. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 8, said L-shaped members including portions for releasably securing said arm members in said vertically extending position with the pivot means positioned at one end of the elongated openings while permitting pivotable displacement of said arm member to said generally horizontal position subsequent to slidable displacement of said arm member to position the pivot means at the other end of said elongated openings.

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1. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle having a rear platform for supporting fire fighting personnel thereon comprising, a pair of bracket assemblies for mounting upon a vehicle in spaced relation above and forwardly of the support platform, a pair of elongated arms, each arm being pivotally secured adjacent one end portion to a bracket assembly, bar means interconnecting portions of said arms remote to said bracket assemblies, said elongated arms and said bar means being pivotally displaceable betWeen a first releasably secured, generally vertically extending position above and forwardly of the platform and a second position with the arm members and bar means in a generally horizontally disposed position for encompassing fire fighting personnel standing upon the rear platform, and adjustable stop means positioned to engage said arms intermediate said pivoted end portions and said bar means for supporting and selectively adjusting the height of said bar means above the rear platform, said bar means including means for adjusting the length thereof.
 2. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in 1, said means for varying the effective length of said safety bar means including first and second sections, each section having one end secured to an arm, and a sleeve portion adjustably coupling the opposite ends of said first and second sections.
 3. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as defined in claim 1, said adjustable stop means including threaded members mounted upon each of said bracket assemblies for adjustably locating said arm members and said bar in said second position.
 4. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 1, each of said pair of bracket assemblies including a support plate and pivot means for supporting one of said arms thereon for pivotable and slidable displacement.
 5. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 4, wherein each of said arm members includes an elongated opening adjacent one end portion for receiving said pivot means therein.
 6. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 5, each of said plates being of a generally L-shaped configuration having a first portion for mounting said arm pivot means thereon, and a second portion extending transversely to said first portion in close proximity to said arms.
 7. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 6, wherein the arm elongated openings extend longitudinally of said arm members and the diameter of said pivot means substantially corresponds to the width of the elongated openings for permitting pivotable and longitudinal displacement of said arm members relative to said pivot means.
 8. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire vehicle as recited in claim 1, said bracket assemblies including L-shaped members, and pivot means for supporting said arm members thereon, said arm members having longitudinally extending openings therein for slidable and pivotable displacement upon said pivot means.
 9. Safety apparatus for mounting upon a fire fighting vehicle as recited in claim 8, said L-shaped members including portions for releasably securing said arm members in said vertically extending position with the pivot means positioned at one end of the elongated openings while permitting pivotable displacement of said arm member to said generally horizontal position subsequent to slidable displacement of said arm member to position the pivot means at the other end of said elongated openings. 